Beehive



A. KELSEY.

Bee Hive.

Patented March 31; 1857.

one.

ALBERT KELSEY, OF WESTPOR'I, MISSOURI.

BEEHIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,926, dated March 31, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT KELsEY, of Westport, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beehives; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-- I Figure 1, represents a vertical section through the hive, Fig. 2, represents a similar vertical section taken at right angles to the sect-ion, as shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate figures, denote like parts in both.

The nature of my invention relates more especially to the manner in which I divide the separate working chambers, so that the honey and comb can be taken from one without disturbing the other: viz the double partition, with its communicating passages, and the cut-off or slide for separating the two apartments which passes between said partitions, and thus does not cut the comb, or in any way mar it.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawmgs.

A, A, represent the opposite sides of a rec tangularbox, over which is fitted a top, composed of a stationary piece B, with two doors C, C, hinged to it. This box may be placed on a stand or shelf of any ordinary kind, which may form the bottom of the hive, leaving a bee entrance and exit between the bottom ,of the hive, and the stand or shelf, as will be hereafter described. On one of the sides of the box or hive, is formed a door D, and inside of said door there is a glass E, so that the interior of the hive may be at any time inspected from the outside without disturbing the bees. Through the top of the box there may be any suitable number of holesor openings F, over which glass receivers Gr, may be placed, for the receipt of the honey from the swarm, and which when full, may be removed for consumption. Over these glass receivers, is placed a cap or cover II, that confines them in a dark chamber, and which cap may be removed at any time. There may also be duplicates of the lower box A one standing on top of the other.

other slide 0, may be placed, that cuts off' all communication between said apartments from the inside.

Each of the chambers or apartments I, I,

are filled with sash frames 70, which are slid into their places and rest in grooves, and a bottom strip d. e, e e, are rings attached to the sash frames respectively by which they are drawn out. The thickness of these sash frames, may be about the same as that of ordinary honey comb, and there are spaces f, left between the sash frames, so that the comb in one shall not be united in any manner to the next adjacent frame to it, which would in drawing the frames, break the comb.

2', are hinged doors, made of punched sheet metal to admit air, which doors when the bees are working in both of the chambers, are turned up leaving the bee entrances open. But when one chamber is to be divested of its honeythe slide 0 being first introduced between the double partitions, then the door 2', of that chamber is dropped down. It being very delicate-the bees can come out by swinging it away from the entrance, but they cannot enter into the hive there, and consequentlypass into the other chamber. After the bees have left the chamber that is to be dispossessed of its honey, the top H, is removed, the door C, as the case may be raised, and the sash frames with the comb connected to them lifted out one at a time. After it is removed, other sash are placed in the chamber, the cover put on-the entrance 6 opened and the slide 0 first removed, and the swarm can again fill the chamber. If the slide 0 were forced down between the sash frames, instead of between the partitions, it would cut or break the combs, and injure its market value, besides waste the honey.

By this construction of hive there is no destruction of bees, when the honey is to be removed, nor are the swarms disturbed or excited-for by simply inserting the slide a, and dropping the door 41, the apartment will soon be vacated, and it is as readily opened again to the swarm.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, I would state that, I am fully aware that sash frames have been used in the working chambers of bee 5 hives. These I do not claim but What I doclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In combination with the double chambers of sash frames the two walls with communicating passages through them, when said. I.

walls or partitions, are so arranged, as that a slide of cutoff can be introduced between them, for the purpose of an entire separation, as herein set forth and explained.

ALBERT KELSEY. Witnesses:

A. B. S'roUGHToN, E. COHEN. 

